Five Palestinians were killed in Israeli missile strikes in the Gaza Strip early Thursday.

In one icident, an Israeli Air Force missile strike killed three Palestinians in southern Gaza Strip as the occupation army entered its 16th day of a massive offensive in the northern part of the strip, according to Palestinian witnesses and medics early Thursday. Palestinian witnesses and medics said one of the victims was a 70-year-old man. Seven more Palestinians were injured, residents of the camp said.

In another strike, two Palestinians were killed in the Jabalya refugee camp, in northern Gaza Strip. According to the Israeli army, the two were Hamas members.

Meanwhile, Israel's "settlement movement" plans to hold 100 simultaneous demonstrations in cities all over Israel Thursday, to show their support for settlers of the Gaza settlement bloc and protest Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's so-called "disengagement plan".